Just 7 hours from the west coast of California and just a few short hours from Hawaii, is the island paradise of French Polynesia. This collection of 118 islands is truly heaven on earth. While most travelers head straight to Bora Bora, we encourage you to explore some of French Polynesia’s other gems, like Moorea, Tahiti or Rangiroa. There is so much natural beauty, down to earth hospitality and spectacular landscape to experience. The culture and people of French Polynesia are also the most hospitable, kind people we have ever met.
Life in an unfiltered paradise ❤️
We love Moorea so much and one of the most incredible things about this island is that everywhere you look, it’s just naturally and purely beautiful. @hiltonmoorea also has the best water on the island 👌
#moorea #mooreaisland #frenchpolynesia #beautifuldestinations #bestplacestogo #amazingdestinations #paradise
Nov 30
Most common question we get: Maldives or French Polynesia??
It’s a tough one to answer because they offer two completely different experiences. The Maldives offers luxury, 5 star resorts and service where many resorts have butlers that cater to your every whim. You don’t even have to lift a finger, unless you want to. The resorts are unreal, as though someone creatively designed their greatest fantasy and it came to life, like at @discoversoneva.
French Polynesia offers a cultural experience with majestic views that kind of make you feel like you’re living in a real life green screen. Every direction is breathtaking with vibrant reefs, kind & passionate locals and the ability to explore hundreds of islands during your trip.
If you’re looking for luxury, relaxation and the best hotel money can buy, Maldives is the place for you. If you’re looking for cultural immersion, stunning views and access to surrounding islands, towns and villages, French Polynesia may be more your speed.
Questions? Let us know! ⬇️
#maldives #frenchpolynesia #bestplacestogo #amazingdestination #beachesnresorts #wonderfulplaces
Oct 18
Give me the choice between an overwater bungalow or a mega mansion and I’ll choose an overwater bungalow anytime 💁🏼♀️. Anyone else agree?
Thank you to @hiltonmoorea for having us back for a second time in paradise ❤️❤️
#frenchpolynesia #tahitilife #moorea #hilton #hiltonmoorea #dronestagram #dronephotography #beautifulplaces #beautifulhotels #bestplacestogo
Oct 4
I miss you @hiltonmoorea ❤️. Moorea is our favorite island in the world, to this day. There’s something so magical about mountains, the lagoons, the people. There are few places in the world that bring us to tears when we leave, but this is always one of them.
#hilton #hiltonmoorea #hiltonhotels #moorea #tahiti #frenchpolynesia #beautifulplaces #beautifuldestinations #dronephotography #dronestagram #wonderfulplaces #wonderful_places #amazingplaces #beachesofinstagram
May 14
Sitting here in rainy New York, I REALLY miss the sun on my face, the stillness of nature and the sound of literally nothing but water flopping around beneath the bungalow 🙌🏼. It’s like a completely different world, a dream or some alternate universe that feels a million miles away. We would joke when we were lying in bed staring out at that majestic mountain that it was a green screen programmed to be the perfect escape. We said, “wouldn’t it be funny to click the channel button and have it switch to something else? Click.” Right now I’m wishing I could click right back there 🤣. Thank you @fsborabora for providing the most epic escape.
#fourseasons #fsborabora #borabora #tahiti #frenchpolynesia #suitelife #overwaterbungalow #waterbungalow #travellove #womenwhotravel #mountotemanu #bestinhotels #hotelsnresorts #beautifuldestinations #beautifulhotels #amazingplaces #wonderful_places
May 7
Have you ever seen a view like this?! @fsborabora had arguably the best sunset light we’ve ever seen. It was just SO peaceful and picturesque.
#fsborabora #fourseasons #beautifulhotels #beautifuldestinations #bestplacestogo #amazingdestinations #amazingplaces #beachesnresorts #luxuryhotels #luxuryworldtraveler #besthotels #sunsetlover #fourseasonshotels #tahiti #frenchpolynesia #incredibleplaces
May 5
Sometimes a different perspective is good for the soul. How incredible does @letahaabypearlresorts look from above?
#letahaaislandresortandspa #pearlresortsoftahiti #beautifuldestinations #beautifulhotels #tahiti #frenchpolynesia #amazingplaces #beachlife #djimavicpro #dronephotography #dronestagram
May 3
Bath tub or #moorea lagoon??
For years, Moorea has been our favorite island and I think it still is. The dramatic mountains and ridiculous blue water is one thing, but the sunsets over that perfect water is something out of a fairy tail. @hiltonmoorea thanks for sharing that magic ❤️ .
#tahiti #frenchpolynesia #bestplacestogo #amazingdestinations #beachesnresorts #sunset #fantastic_earth #wanderearth #frenchpolynesia #experiencetheworld #beautifuldestinations #beautifulplaces #amazingplaces #sunsetlover #beachvibes
Apr 29
During our trip to Bora Bora, mount otemanu graced us with the clearest days and it is overwhelming how spectacular that view is. While most of our first few days were clouded over at the top, the latter half of the trip had nothing but perfect clarity surrounding the mountain. @leboraborabypearlresorts has the perfect view, and the perfect blue lagoon.
#leboraborabypearlresorts #borabora #luxuryhotels #bestplacestogo #amazingplaces #beautifuldestinations #beautifulplaces #beautifulhotels #wonderful_places #tahiti #frenchpolynesia #hotelsandresorts #hotels #suitelife
Apr 26
Spectacular beaches, towering mountains and kind people make up the beautiful island nation of French Polynesia. This French-Tahitian paradise is perfect for travelers looking for delicious food and gorgeous views. There's a lot to consider when planning your trip!
The flights are typically the most expensive part of the trip- although, there are consistently deals on the major airlines like Air Tahiti Nui and United. Be sure to follow Scott’s Cheap Flights or set up Google flight alerts for your preferred dates. If you’re planning to visit Bora Bora or some of the other gorgeous, remote islands, be sure to account for the additional $500-800 USD per person for the roundtrip airfare from Papeete.
Hotels range dramatically, from the lower-end Pensions to the high-end luxury resorts. Be aware of additional costs like food and alcohol on the more remote islands. Bora Bora, for example, is more like the Maldives – you will likely not leave the hotel. In these cases, it could be worth adding a F&B package like Half Board to your stay to minimize your costs during your trip. Alternatively, staying in Moorea offers a broader reach of dining options as you ca walk from your hotel to a number of restaurants.
Suggested daily budget- Food found in French Polynesia is mostly French as the majority of the food is shipped from Europe to French Polynesia and subsidized. Poisson Cru (our favorite dish), ranges from about $5 for a container at the grocery store to $35 at a high end hotel. Alcohol prices are on the higher end, ranging from $12-17 for a cocktail or glass of wine. Vin De Tahiti is a delicious wine made on Rangiroa, and provides an inexpensive alternative to some of the French wines (and trust us, it’s delicious).
While there's really no bad time to visit French Polynesia, the weather can certainly impact your trip. The best months for weather are June-August, but be forewarned that prices can get quite high as travelers flock to the islands for summer vacation. November-December are some of the wetter months, but prices are lower November-April, making it the optimal time for travelers looking for a deal.
Check out some of our favorite French Polynesian resorts and what we like and don’t like about each of them.
Epic mountain peaks, kind people and delicious French food are the top three things to expect from this gorgeous island nation. But I warn you, prepare to never want to leave.
Our recommendation to start planning your trip is to first establish a budget. Be sure to include what you are comfortable spending per night on lodging, any added transfer costs (from $20 for the ferry to Moorea, up to $400 for a flight to Bora Bora) and your daily food budget.
Next, consider how far you’re willing to go. There are a lot of islands! If you go to Bora Bora, consider hoping over to Tahaa after. Be sure to consider what time your flight arrives or departs from Papeete. It’s quite possible that you will need to spend the night on Tahiti before jetting off the islands. If this is the case, consider the Intercontinental Tahiti or the Ia Ora Beach Resort managed by Sofitel.
Lastly, be aware that if your flight departs Papeete late at night, the airport opens 2 hours before your flight and there is no where to hang out before then. Consider grabbing dinner locally to avoid the humidity you’ll experience in the air-conditioning-free airport.
We recently got back from French Polynesia and I can truthfully say that it was the most incredible country
The Four Seasons Bora Bora is one of the biggest dream destinations in the world and it does not disappoint.
The Hilton Moorea is a place that’s near and dear to our heart after our first visit in 2018 when we absolutely fell in love with the crystal clear waters and majestic location.